Barrette



April 27, 1943.

BARRETTE ,Filed Jan. 5, 1943 -Fg. I

INVENTOR. 6 M C a ATTOR/VEY R. MCFADDN 2,37,93o

Patented Apr. 27, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BARRETTE Ross McFadden, Hollywood, Calif. Application January 5, 1943, Serial No. 471385 6 Claims.

This invention relates to barrettes and similar hair retaim'ng devices and is primarily directed to the provision of a barrette composed entirely of plastic material', which may be economically produced and Will afiord a maximum of security against accidental displacement from the hair when engaged therewith in functioning condition.

More specically, it is an important object of this invention to provide a barrette having a rigid body portion and a tongue of resilient characteristics, the inherent resiliency of the tongue being utilized in connecting the tongue to the body portion for relative hinged movement and for interlocking the tongue in functioning association with the body of the device, when the barrette is applied to the hair.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a' tongue for a barrette conformed from a resilient plastic material and embodying integral hinging elements which are adapted to be associated with coacting means of the body of a barrette, for connecting the tongue to the barrette body for relative hinged movement, in response to the fiexure of such hinging elements, the reaction of the elements to such fiexure serving to maintain them in permanent hinged engagement with the barrette body.

It is also an important object of this invention to provide a tongue for a barrette of resilient material as aforesaid, in which the resiliency of the tongue material is utilized for interlocking the normally free end of the tongue to a cooperatng surface of the body of the barrette in functioning position to retain the barrette in clasping engagement with the hair, the body-surface-engaging means incorporated in the tongue being so constituted as to increase fiexibility of such means beyond the inherent resiliency of the tongue shank, to facilitate the interconnection of the tongue and body in functioning relation and the interlocking engagement of the tongue and body in the subsequent bodily flexure of the tongue.

Manifestly, by providing a barrette composed entirely of plastic material, including the hinging elements as Well as the means whereby the tongue and body are interlocked in functioning relation. I am enabled to economically produce a most attractive and efiicient barrette, in which metal springs, slides and other adjuncts of existing devices are completely eliminated. At the same time, the wearer of a barrette conforming to my invention is assured of greater security against accidental displacement thereof, while being en-` abled to locate the barrette in the desired position in clasping eng agement with the hair, with a minimum of effcrt, the resiliency of the tongue cooperating with the hair itself, as will be understood from the following detailed description, to substantially automatically function in interlocking the tongue with the body of the device and maintaining them in interlocked condition until theirdisconnecton is manually eflected bythe wearer.

Other objects and advantages flowingirom the practicing of my invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, it being understood that the body portion of my barrette may take other forms and details of structure and assembly may be varied to meet production and other requirements, within the scope' of this disclosure.

` In the drawing: v

Figure 1 is a View in perspective of a barrette conforming to one embodiment* of my invention, showing the manner in which it is applied to the hair;

Figure 2 is abottom plan View of the structure of Figure 1, with the tongue displaced outwardly of the body portion, on its hinged connection therewith;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View illustrative of the hinge connection between the tongue and the body portion;

Figure 4 is a similar View, showing the free end of the tongue in interlockable engagement with the body portion; and

Figure 5 is a longitudinal .section View on the line 5- 5 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, in which like characters of reference are employed to designate similar parts in the several views, 1' indicates the body portion of the barrette which is fcrmed of plastic material in any appropriate in juxtaposition to the opposite end of saidbody is formed with an undercut surface Ha to form a knob-like element H for engagement by the free end of said tongue to interlock the tongue with the body in functioning position.

The tongue is composed of fiexible plastic material having a shank portion which is preferably oval in cross-section and terminates at one end in a bifurcation conformed for hingedly connecting the tongue to said lug by utilizing the inherent resiliency of the tongue material to admit of the 'assembly of the tongue in hinged position and to operatively retain it in such position upon the body l, as will become apparent. As will be observed, especially from Figure 3 of the drawing, to provide for the formation of the bifurcation, the end zone is necessarly of greater width than the shank of the tongue, the bifurca tion being defined by the divergent surfaces !2 constituting continuations of the shank of the tongue, which merge into the parallel laterally spaced arms !3 and !4, the end of which have integrally formed oppositely alined projections and "IE, disposed at a right angle to said arms, a narrow slot- !1 extending axially from the web !8 between the inner teri'niiiof the arms !3 and !4 into the shank of the tongue to terminate approximately in line with the point of merger of the divergent surfaces therewith.

At its opposite end, the tongue is conforrned for interlocking engagement with the aforesaid knob-like element I! on the body the width of the tongue in this end zone, likewise, being increased to provide for the formation of an elongated opening !9 therein, having curved endforming surfaces 20, -2 a narrow slot 22 extending into the shanh of the tongue, parallel to the aXis thereof, from the end-frming surface 2!, the inner terminus of the slot being located approxim'ately in the zone in which the enlargement of the width of the tongue is initiated for the formation of the knob-engaging surfaoes thereof. By providing a knob-engaging end, having surfaces, as iust described, and slotting the tongue, as at 22, the flexibility of the laterally spaced opening-defining surfaces 23, 24 of the resilient tongue is increased, to `facilitate the connection of the tongue to the knob in the functioning of the ba'i'rette, as will become apparent.

In assembling the barrette, the tongue !0 is hingedly connected to the body by expanding the'arms !3 and !4 of the bifurcated end of the tongue to permit the 'projections !5 and !6 to ride the opposite sides of the lug 9 for alinement with the bore thereof, it being obvious that as the projections are alined with the bore the reaction of the flexed arms will cause the projections to snap or spring into functioning position within the bore, the inherent rsiliency of the tongue material being adequate to maintain the projections in rotative engagement with the lug and resist separation of the tongue from the body in the use of the barrette, even where the hinge connection may be subjected to considerable strain by rough usage.

When the 'tongue has been connected to the body for relative movement, the barrette is ready for use and is adapted to be applied to the hair in the conventional manner, the tongue being entered beneath the hair, with the body of thebarrette in outermost position. While the tongue is resilient, in its production it is designed to normally conform substantially to the curvature of the inner surface of the body 1 of the barrette which it overlies, the free end of the tongue assuming a position relative to the adjacent end of the body -1 which will locate the knob in position for entry within the opening !9 of the tongue approximately centrally of its curved ends 20, 2!.

consequently, when the barrette is applied to the hair and the hair is grouped or massed between the inner surface of the body 'I and the opposed surface of the tongue !0, the tongue 'is compressed with the hair to permit of the engagement of the tongue with the knob I! as the opening-'defining surfaces 23, 24 yield under pressure to expand the slot for their passage over the head of the knob to a position in association with the opposite undercut surfaces I !a beneath the head of the knob. As the tongue is relieved of the externally applied fing'er pressure, the natural resiliency of the hair massed between the inner surface of the body 'I and the opposed surface of the tongue will become effective upon the tongue to urge it in a direction opposite to the body 1, the tongue yieldingunder the reaction of the massed hair in an elimination of its normal curvilinear aspect which reduces the radius between its hinge connection with the body and the point at which it engages the knob the resulting longitudinal movement of the opening-defining surfaces 23, 24, of the tongue relative to the' fixed knob of the body 1', locating the inner end of the opening !9, as defined by the curved 'surface 2! in engagement with the undercut surfaces !a beneath the head of the knob i! to positively interlock the tongue to the knob. Manifestly, since the area of the opening !9, in this end zone is appreciably less than the diameter of the head of the knob the distortion of the tongue 'from its normal curvatu'e to assume a substa ntially straight position between the hinge 'connection and the knob will be effective to `co`ntinuous1`y urge the mino-r end surfaces of the opening !9 into interlooking' engagen'ent with the cdacting surfaces of the knob I! and provide 'a means of interconnecting the body and tongue of'the'barrette that may beinstantly rendered eiTective and aord ample security against accidental 'separation and 'the resultant displacerentof the barrette from its position.

For disconnecting the tongue from the body, in effecting the removalof the .barrette from the hair, the tongue is compressed toward the body of the structure to relocate the knob centrally of the ends o'f thetongue opening !9, so that the side-defining surfaces of the opening may expand to ride over the head of the knob in response to the appropriate manipulation of the ba'rrette for removing it from the hair.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have devised a simple and highly efiicient barrette in which the inherent resil'ency of the plastically formed tongue is utilized to hingedly connect the tongue to the ba'rrette body for relative movement and for interlocking the normally free end of the tongue to the body of the structure and retaining it interlocked there'with in the functioning of the barrette, until it is desired to effect th'e removal ,of the barrette from engagement with the hair.

I claim:

1. A barrette of plastic material having a rigid body curved longitudihally and provided .with a series of projections on its inner surface, a tongue of flexible material h'ii'ged to said body adjac'ent one endthereof, for relative arcuate movement, a protube''ance in juxtapositi'onto the opposite end of said body, the sides of .said protub'erance being undercut .between the head and base there of, the free end of said tongue embodying an elongated opening having defining surfaces converging toward the inner end thereof, whereby said tongue may be engaged with said protuberance and interlocked therewith in the distortion of said tongue in a longitudinal direction, to engage said converging opening-defining surfaces with the undercut portion of said protuberance.

2. A barrette having a rigid body curved longitudinally, a tongue of fiexible material resiliently connected to said body adjacent one end thereof for relative hinged movement, a protuberance in juxtaposition to the opposite end of said body, the sides of said protuberance being undercut between the base and head thereof, the free end of said tongue embodying an elongated opening of reduced transverse area at its inner end, and being defined by lateral surfaces capable of flexure relative to said tongue, whereby said opening may expendibly embrace said protuberance, said tongue being interlockable to said body in response to the distortion of said tongue to locate the reduced transverse area of said tongue opening in engagement with the undercut surface of said protuberance.

3. A barrette having a body curved longitudinally and a tongue of fiexible material, one end of said tongue having laterally spaced surfaces capable of flexure independently of said tongue and connectable to said body in a flexing movement to form a hinge connection therewith, a protuberance in juxtaposition to the opposite end of said body, said protuberance being undercut between the head and base thereof, the free end of said tongue embodying an elongated opening of reduced transverse area at its inner end defined by lateral surfaces capable of flexure relative to said tongue, whereby said surfaces may expand to ride over said protuberance in the movement of said tongue toward said body, said tongue being interlockable to said body in response to an opposite directional distortion of said tongue to locate the reduced transverse area of said tongue opening in engagement With the undercut surface of said protuberance.

4. A barrette having a longitudinally curved body provided with a transversely bored lug projeoting from its inner face, adjacent one end thereof, and a tongue of fiexible material, one

end of said tongue having laterally spaced surfaces embodying projections adapted for seating in the bore of said body lug, said surfaces being capable of flexure independently of the portion of the tongue from which they are supported, for' the entry of said surface projections in the opposite ends of said lug bore to h'ngedly connect said tongue to said body for relative arcuate movement, a protuberance in juxtaposition to the opposite end of said body, said protuberance being undercut between the head and base thereof, the free end of said tongue embodying an elongated opening of reduced transverse area at its inner end defined by lateral surfaces capable of flexure relative to said tongue, whereby said surfaces may expand to ride over said protuberance in the movement of said tongue toward said body, said tongue being interlockable to said body in response to an opposite directional distortion of said tongue to locate the reduced transverse area of said tongue opening in engagement with the undercut surface of said protuberance.

5. A barrette of plastic material having a rigid body curved longitudinaily provided with a transversely bored lug projecting from its inner surface adjacent one end thereof, a tongue of flexible material normally curved in the direction of its axis to conform to the longitudinal contour of said body hinged to said lug for relative arcuate movement, a protuberance adjacent the opposite end of said body having an undercut surface between the head and base thereof, the free end of said tongue embodying an elongated opening of reduced transverse area at its inner end, said opening being defined by laterally spaced surfaces capable of flexure relative to the contiguous tongue surface, whereby said opening may be dilated in the passage of said lateral defining surfaces over said protuberance in the movement of said tongue toward the opposed surface of said body, said tongue being interlockable with said body in response to the bodily distortion of said tongue from its normally curvilinear shape in a direction from said barrette body, to locate the reduced transverse area of said tongue opening in engagement With the undercut surface of said body protuberance.

6. A barrette having a longitudinally curved body provided with a transversely bored lug projecting from its inner face, adjacent one end thereof, and a tongue of fiexible material, one end of said tongue having laterally spaced surfaces embodying projections adapted for seating in the bore of said body lug, said surfaces being capable of flexure independently of the portion of the tongue from which they are supported, for the entry of said surface projections in the opposite ends of said lugbore to hingedly connect said tongue to said body for relative arcuate movement, a protuberance in juxtaposition to the opposite end of said body, said protuberance being undercut between the head and base thereof, the free end of said tongue embodying an elongated opening of reduced transverse area at its inner end defined 'by lateral surfaces capable of flexure relative to said tongue, whereby said surfaces may expand to ride over said protuberances in the movement of said tongue toward said body, said tongue being interlockable to said body in response to an opposite directional distortion of said tongue to locate the reduced transverse area of said tongue opening in engagement with the undercut surface of said protuberance, said elongated opening merging into a slit at its end of reduced transverse area increasing the fiexibility of the lateral opening-defining surfaces.

ROSS MCFADDEN.' 

